Station indicator or advertiser.



B. R. SKINNER.

STATION INDICATOR 0R ADVERTISER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES.-

A TTORNJQY.

y B. R. SKINNBB. STATION INDICATOR 0R ADVERTISER.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 25, 1910. 991,904. Patented May 9, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I 1 .10 Z g.11. .ZJ I F J 26 17-9! 106 I 9 0'8 ldfla 2 -1 INVENTOR:

J/Zo.

ATTORNEY.

B. R. SKINNBR.

STATION INDICATOR 0R ADVERTISER.

rum-r1011 nun MAY 25, 1910.

' 991904. Patented May 9, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I'VITNESSES:

1.1V VEN T OR:

A TTORNEY.

B. R. SKINNER.

STATION INDICATOR 0R ADVERTISER.

APPLICATION IILED MAY 25, 1910.

991,904. 1 Patented May 9, 1911.

4 MEETS-SHEET 4.

? VIII/1 14 WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

ATTORNEY.

1 Y"! NOERI! PITE'RS ca" vusmuamu. n. 1:.

UNITE BUR/R R. SKINNER, OF ABERDEEN, SOUTH DAKOTA.

STATION INDICATOR OR ADVERTISER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bonn R. SKINNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Aberdeen, in the county of Brown and State of South Dakota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station Indicatorsor Advertisers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a mechanical annunciator or advertiser for usein cars, public places or elsewhere, either for indicating the stationsor streets on lines of travel of cars or other passenger vehicles, orfor advertising purposes, and which may be used in stations forannouncing the departure of trains or cars on various roads, theinvention having reference more particularly to a station indicator oradvertiser that is adapted to be operated either by hand or by mechanismat intervals.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved indicator orannunciator of the above mentioned character which may include a nameribbon of cheap construction, and mechanism whereby the ribbon may beoperated accurately and reliably, to the end that a relatively largenumber of name ribbons may be provided at relatively small cost to beused with each machine at different times as occasion may require,especially for advertising purposes; a further object being to improvethe construction of the machine to simplify the operation of changingthe name ribbons therein as occasion may require.

The invention comprises essentially a name ribbon, and rollers therefor,a casing having a sight opening, a drum for guiding the ribbon close tothe sight opening, a motor for operating either one of the rollerswhereby to move the ribbon, and mechanism operating in connection withthe ribbon for stopping the ribbon with the names or signs thereonopposite the sight-opening, and in novel mechanism for operating andcontrolling the stopping means; the invention consisting further in theparts, and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafterparticularly described and claimed, being improvements in the stationindicator illustrated in Letters Patent No.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Application filed May 25, 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911.

Serial No. 563,288.

895,118, granted to me August 4, 1908, the construction in the presentcase being such as to permit any desired number of machines to beconnected together so as to be operated in unison, as described in saidLetters Patent.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machineas preferably constructed and arranged; Fig. 2, a. side elevation; Fig.3, an opposite side elevation; Fig. 4, a fragmentary perspective view ofparts of the operating mechanism; Fig. 5, a side elevation of one of theparts of the mechanism; Fig. 6, a vertical section on the line A A inFig. 1; Fig. 7, a vertical section taken at the right hand side of themachine; Figs. 8 and 9, enlarged reproductions of portions of Fig. 7with the mechanism in different positions; Fig. 10, a vertical sectionon the line B B in Fig. 6; Fig. 11, a fragmentary front elevation of themotor and other mechanism with the casing thereof broken away; Fig. 12,a vertical section on the plane of the line C C in Fig. 11; Fig. 13, asection on the plane of the line D D in Fig. 11; Fig. 14, a fragmentarydetail showing the arrangement of the removable center-pins of therollers and drum; Fig. 15, a longitudinal central sectional view of theguide-drum partially broken away; Fig. 16, a perspective view of one ofthe two self adjusting devices for engaging and stopping the ribbon whenmoving in either direction; Fig. 17, a fragmentary horizontal section onthe plane of the line E E in Fig. 13; Fig. 18, a fragmentary verticalsection approximately on the plane of the line F F in Fig. 10; Fig. 19,a fragmentary vertical section approximately on the plane of the line GG in Fig. 17 Fig. 20, a perspective view of one of the guides for theribbon; Fig. 2], a fragmentary section approximately on the line H H inFig. 11; Fig. 22, a fragmentary section on the line I I in Fig. 21; Fig.23, a plan of the name ribbon partially broken away; Fig. 24, a frontelevation of the machine with the casing partially broken away to exposemechanism therein; Fig. 25, a fragmentary section showing details of thekey for winding the spring of the motor and whereby the motor may belocked, as on the line J J in Fig. 17; Fig. 26, a f 'agmentary elevationof the machine frame; Fig. 27, a perspective view of the combinedwinding and locking key; Fig. 28, a fragmentary elevation of the frameandv a guide thereon; Fig. 29, a fragmentary section approximately onthe line K K in Fig. 2; and Fig. 30, a sectional view of the ribbon onthe line L L in Fig. 23.

In the drawings similar reference characters indicate correspondingelements or features of construction throughout the various figuresthereof herein specifically referred to.

The frame of the machine comprises two horizontal base bars 1 and 1 towhich are suitably secured two sides 2 and 2 which are preferablycomposed of metal plates and constitute also portions of the casing, the

sides having reinforcements 3 and 3 011 the inner sides thereof,respectively. The frame includes also a division plate 4 provided withreinforcement 4 and arranged near the side 2; also division plates 5 and6 provided with reinforcement 5 and 6 respectively relatively near theside 2, the division plates being secured also to the base bars, therebeing frame bars 7 and 7 connected to the end portions of the base barsadjacent to the sides 2 and 2 respectively, other frame bars 8 and 8being connected also to the base. bars and to the division plates 4 and5 respectively, the back or rear of the frame being open whendismounted. A frame bar 9 has screw-threaded ends and extends throughthe lower forward portions of the sides 2 and 2 and has nuts 10 and 10on the ends thereof in contact with the sides, and a similar frame-bar11 extends through the upper forward portions of the sides and has nuts12 and 12 thereon in contact with the sides, the frame bars extendingthrough the division plates and having spacing thimbles 13, 13 thereonbetween the plates. A frame-bar 14 preferably is connected to the rearportions of the division plates 4 and 5. Two supporting bars 15 and 15are secured to the base-bars 1 and 1 and project beyond them, theirupper portions having each an aperture 16 and a slot 16 extending fromthe aperture, the lower end portions having each a slot 1'? therein,thus enabling the frame of the machine to be readily hung securely onscrews 18 and 18 and 19 and 19 secured to a suitable support 20 whichmay be a back-board or may constitute a portion of any structure onwhich it is desired to mount the machine, the machine frame beingdetachable from the support 20 by simply raising the frame slightly andthen drawing it forward from the screws, as will be readilyunderstood,which enables the attendant to readily replace any machinewith another having a diflerently lettered ribbon therein.

A pair of roller shafts 21 and 21 are mounted rotatively in the divisionplates 5 and 6 and have pinions 22 and 22 secured thereto respectivelyadjacent to the plate 5 through which the shafts extend, the pin ionshaving grooved hubs 23 and 23 thereon adapted toserve as brake-drums.The projecting ends of the shaft are provided with relatively fixeddriving heads 24 and 24 respectively to which rollers 25 and 25 aredetachably connected, each roller having a longitudinal groove 25therein. The farther ends of the rollers have sockets 26 and 26 thereinrespectively into which center-pins 27 and 27 are removably inserted forsupporting the rollers rotatively, the center-pins being mounted in theside 2 and the divisional plate 4 and provided with knobs 28 and 28,respectively, for with drawing them from the rollers. The plate 5 on theside thereof opposite the plate 4 has a journal bearing 29 thereonforward of the plane of the rollers to support the journal 30 of thedrum 31 which is provided for guiding the ribbon, the drum having asocket 32 therein to receive a center-pin 33 which is mounted also inthe side 2 and plate 4 and has a knob 33 at the outer side of the side 2for withdrawing the centerpin. The drum has grooves 34 and 34 inopposite end portions thereof. Each centerpin 28, 28 and33 has a pin 35therein against which one end of a spring 36 is seated, the opposite endof the spring being seated against the end 2 or its reinforcement tonormally hold the center-pin in normal position, in which position thepins 35 are seated in recesses 37 in the plate 4 or its reinforcementto. prevent the center-pins from rotating when the rollers are rotating.

A name ribbon 38 is employed which may be composed of any suitableflexible material such as webbing or window-shade material, and suitablelines 39 are printed or painted thereon to represent station or streetnames. or different advertisements, the outer side of the name ribbon onwhich the reading matter is placed having also a suitable num ber ofmetallic bars 40 secured thereto and extending slightly beyond the sidesof the ribbon, the bars being equi-distant apart, one above each line ofreading matter, the ends of the ribbon having metallic binding 41 and 41thereon and inserted in the grooves that are in the rollers 25 and 25for connecting the ribbon thereto. The stopbars 40 are composed ofrelatively thin metal and. may be of sufficient width to afford therequisite strength for stopping the machinery and the ribbon, andpreferably opposite plates 42 are secured to the inner side of theribbon and extend beyondthe side edges thereof, in which case preferablythe bars 40 each have one end 40" turned over one end of the oppositebar 42 and secured thereto, and the bar 42 has an end 42 turned over theopposite end of the bar 40 and secured thereto, so as to providecompound bars of two ply thickness having three-ply ends, the latterbeing engaged by the stopping devices as will further appear. The nameribbon extends over the forwardly presented side of the guide-drum withthe ends of the stop-bars extending over the grooves 34 and 34.

A rock-shaft 43 is mounted in the upper forward portions of the plates 4and 6 and also in the plate 5, so as to be above the guide-drum 31, andit has two arms 44 and 44 secured thereto opposite the grooves in thedrum, the arms extending downwardly and forwardly and having lugs 45 and45 mounted slidingly thereon in any suitable manner so as to render thearms extensible or contractible. The extremities of the lugs are adaptedto be engaged by either side of each stop-bar on the ribbon, the lugsbeing normally held in the grooves so that stopbars can not slip underthem accidentally. The arms have each a spring catch 46 mounted thereonwhich normally extends into either one of two notches 47 and 47 in thebody portions of the lugs for preventing the lugs from accidentallyshifting after readjustment on the arms, the spring catches beingreadily forced out of the notches when the lugs are forcibly moved. Aspring 48 is coiled about the rock shaft and has one end suitablysecured thereto and its opposite end secured to the plate 6, so as tospring-press the lugs into the grooves in the guide-drum. A lever 49 issecured to the rock-shaft 43 between the end 2 and the plate 6 of theframe and has an arm 49 thereon normally in contact with a fixed stop 50on the adjacent part of the frame. One side of the lever has a recess 51therein, and the lever has also a beveled end 52. An operating shaft 53is mounted rotatively in the side 2' and the plate 6 and has an arm 54on the inner end thereof normally held in contact with a fixed stop 55by means of a spring 56 suitably supported, the arm being movableagainst an opposite stop 55. The shaft 53 has a knuckled finger securedthereto which comprises a fixed part 57 having a pivot 58 on which anend part 59 is mounted and normally engages a stop 57 (see Fig. 5) withwhich the part 57 is provided, the part 59 having a beveled end 60 forsliding against the end 52 of the lever 49, a spring 61 being mounted onthe part 57 and extending into engagement with the part 59 for normallypreventing pivotal movement of the end part of the finger, butpermitting pivotal movement when the arm moves downward so that thefinger may be withdrawn from the recess 51 in the lever 49. An operatingarm 62 is secured to the outer end of the shaft 53 externally to theside 2 whereby to periodically withdraw the lugs from contact with thestop-bars of the name-ribbon. Preferably a guide-sheave 63 is mounted onthe support 20 and a cable 64 is connected to the arm 62 and extendsover the guide-sheave for moving the arm in one direction, the arm beingretracted by the spring 56. The cable may be extended to any desiredoint for operation thereof. Two curved gui es 65 and 65' are hungpivotally on the rock shaft 43 and extend downward opposite the endportions of the guide-drum to the frame-bar 9 and have slotted clampends 66 and 66, respectively, provided each with a set-screw 67 wherebythe guides are connected detachably to the frame-bar, and the stop-bars40 slide in contact with the guides for preventing the stop-bars fromaccidentally rising over the ends of the lugs when the ribbon is slack,as when placing a new ribbon in position in the machine.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the lugs 45 and 45 aredesigned to move a distance on their supporting arms equal to the widthof a stop-bar 40, and when the roller 25 is winding the ribbon thereonthe lugs are first drawn downward or outward on their arms by means ofthe first stop-bar that comes in contact therewith, the lugs being thenheld in the desired position by the springs 46. When the roller 25begins to wind up the ribbon the first stop-bar coming in contact withthe lugs move them upward or inward until stopped, in which positionthey are then retained by the springs 46.

A suitable motor-frame is provided and mounted between the frame plates5 and 6 and it comprises two main bars 68 and 68- mounted pivotally on ashaft 7 O that is suitably mounted in the forward portions of the twoframe plates, and also cross-bars 69 and 69 secured to the main bars.The motor frame has a main shaft 71 mounted rotatively therein, theinner end of a spring 72 being secured to the shaft and the outer end ofthe spring connected to a stud 73 secured to the motor frame. The shaft71 extends through slots 74 and 74 in the side 2 and frame plate 6respectively. A gear wheel 75 is mounted rotatively on the shaft 71 andhas a pawl 76 mounted thereon, a ratchetwheel 77 being secured to theshaft adjacent to the gear-wheel and engaged by the pawl.

A shaft 78 is mounted in the motor frame and rotatively supports apinion 79 and a gear-wheel 80 that are preferably formed integrally orso that one rotates the other, the pinion being in mesh with thegearwheel 75, and the gear wheel 80 being movable into engagement eitherwith the pinion 22 or with the pinion 22' on pivotal movement of themotor frame, for operating the winding rollers of the name ribbon. Theshaft 78 has a suitable collar 81 thereon to prevent the pinion 79 frommoving longitudinally on the shaft. The motor frame is provided withcontrolling and locking means comprising a rod 82 which is mounted toslide in the main-bar 68' and extends thereon exterior to the side 2,and a spring 85 is seated against theinner side of the bar 68 andsuitably connected to the rod 82 so as to normally press the rod inward.The plate 6 has twosockets 86 and 86 near the slot 83, and an arm 87 issecured to the rod 82 between the side 2 and the plate 6 and has alocking pin 88 thereon adapted to enter the sockets, the locking pinextending into a slotted guide 89 for guidance into either one of thesockets when retracted on movement of the shaft 82 outward, during whichthe motor frame may be moved pivotally for reversing the motion of thenameribbon.

In order to keep the name ribbon taut the rollers are provided withbrakes which are automatically increased in tension on the roller fromwhich the ribbon is being unwound and the tension decreased on the op'posite roller when winding ribbon thereon, the brake serving also to ina measure govern the speed of the motor so that at times it may bepermitted to run faster than at other times on readjustment of thebrakes. An abutment 90 is secured to the bar 68 of the motor frame andhas two brake-rods 91 and 91 suitably mounted and guided there in, onebrake-rod having a brake-shoe 92 thereon that is in contact with thegrooved hub 23 of the pinion 22, the other brake-rod having a brake shoe92 thereon that is in contact with the hub 23, the brake rods be ingprovided with tension springs 93, 93, respectively, that are seatedagainst the abutment and also against adjusting nuts 94 and 94 on thebrake-rods, the springs be ing adapted to draw the brake-shoes towardthe abutment. It will be clear, therefore that when the rod 82 is movedupward so that the roller 25 may be rotated the tension on thebrake-shoe 92 will be diminished and the tension on the other brake-shoein creased so as to tnd to retard the move ment of the roller 25 whilethe ribbon is unwound therefrom.

The shaft 71 is provided with a projecting pin 95 to be engaged by acombined winding and locking key which comprises a stem 96 having asocket 97 in the inner end thereof to receive the end of the shaft 71,the wall of the socket having slits 97 therein to receive the pin 95whereby the shaft may be rotated, ,the walls of the socket embracing theshaft closely so as to be held frictionally on the shaft. ,A. sleeve 98s mounted on the stem 96 to move longitudinally thereon and is preventedfrom rotating on the stem by means of a pin 98 extending through a slot96 in the stem, the sleeve being provided with a cross-bar 99 wherebythe sleeve and the stem may be ro tated for winding the motor spring.The sleeve 98 is provided with a pin 100 that may be pushed into asocket 101 beneath the slot 7 4 in the side 2' or into a socket 101above the slot, depending on the relative position of the motor frame,to prevent rotation of the stem 96 and thereby preventing the springfrom operating the gear wheels and rollers in case the name ribbon ischanged while the motor spring is under tension. V

Preferably a gong 102 is mounted on the frame between the plates 5 and6, and a hammer 103 is mounted on the rock-shaft 43 so that when therock-shaft is turned to raise the arms 4A- and 44C and suddenlyreleased,

the hammer is caused to strike the gong to 7 call attention to thechange of name or sign appearing on the ribbon.

A removable casing comprises a front 104, and integral bottom and topplates 105 and 106 that fit closely to the sides 2 and 2 and therewithinclose the ribbon and motor mechanism therefor, the casing havingconform to theframe and closely cover the machanism and permit the armsA and 44: to move freely, the design being such as'to permit thetransparent panel to be quite close to the ribbon so that the readingthereon may be clear through the sight opening.

The casing is provided with spring catches 110 and 111 that engage theframe barsl and 1 and permit the casing to be quickly removed whennecessary to change the ribbon, in order that the rollers may beaccessible for connecting or disconnecting the ribbon therewith.

In practical use the sleeve 98 is moved outward on the stem 96 and thestem being then rotated the spring 72 is wound up so as to afford powerfor driving the ribbon.

The stem 96 may then be removed if desired. If the shaft 82 b movedupward and the lock-pin 88 inserted in the socket 86 it is clear thatthe motor is then connected operatively with the roller 25 which willwind the ribbon thereon and unwlnd it from the opposite roller, theribbon being guided by the drum 31 close to the sightopening until oneof the bars 40 is brought into contact with the lugs 45 and 45 whichaccurately stops the movement of the ribbon and thereby stops the motor.After the reading or sign is exposed a suflicient length of time as maybe desired, the arm 62 is moved rearwardly and brings thefinger end 59into contact with the lever 19 so as to partially rotate the shaft 43and move the lugs out of the way of the stop-bar, the ribbon beingstarted immediately on being released. l/Vhen the end 59 moves until itis received in the recess 51 the lever 49 is instantly retracted so asto permit the lugs to again fall to normal position for again arrestingthe ribbon when engaged by the next stop bar. On release of the arm 62so that it is automatically retracted, the movement of the part 57 ofthe knuckled finger causes pivotal movement of the end part 59 which isthus dragged out of the recess 51, and when clear of the lever 49resumes its normal condition. In Fig. 8 the lever L9 is shown as beingoperated and in Fig. 9 it is in normal position with the knuckled fingerbeing moved from disengagement therewith. Other results of operationwill be readily understood from the foregoing description and referenceto functions of the mechanism.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. A station indicator or advertiser including a ribbon, stop-barssecured to the ribbon, means for moving the ribbon forward orbackward, arock-shaft provided with automatically extensible or contractible armsadapted to contact with either forward or rearward side of a stop-bar tobe extended or contracted thereby, a spring for holding the arms innormal position, and a device for moving the arms away from thestop-bars.

2. A station indicator or advertiser including a pair of rollers, aguiding drum, a ribbon extending about the drum and connected to therollers, stop-bars secured to the ribbon, a rock-shaft opposite thedrum, and a pair of arms secured to the rock-shaft and having each a lugmounted thereon and movable longitudinally thereof a distanceapproximately equal to the width of a stopbar, the lugs being movableinto or out of the path of the stop-bars.

3. A station indicator or advertiser including a ribbon, stop-barssecured to the ribbon, means for moving the ribbon forward or backward,a rock-shaft, an arm secured to the rock-shaft, a lug movable on the armlongitudinally thereof and normally in the path of the stop-bars forarresting the ribbon, the lug having two notches therein, a spring-catchmounted on the arm and normally extending into either one of thenotches, and an operating arm on the rock-shaft for moving the lug awayfrom the stop-bars.

1. A station indicator or advertiser including a frame comprisingframe-plates and a frame-bar, a guide-drum rotative1 mounted in theframe-plates, a rock-shaft mounted in the frame-plates above theguide-drum, a ribbon movable in contact with the guide-drum, stop-barssecured to the ribbon, lugs mounted on the rock-shaft and normallyextending into the path of the stop-bars, guides hung pivotally on therock shaft and detachably connected to the frame-bar, the guides beingadjacent the lugs and guiding the stop-bars thereto, and means foroperating the lugs.

5. A station indicator or advertiser including a ribbon, stop-barssecured to the ribbon, means for moving the ribbon, a rockshaft havinglugs thereon to engage the stop-bars and provided with an operatingarmhaving a recess in one side thereof, a rotative shaft, a finger on theshaft having a pivot, a finger-end connected to the pivot and having abeveled end to move the operating-arm and then enter the recess, aspring mounted on the finger and pressing on the finger-end, astop-device limiting pivotal movement of the finger-end in onedirection, an arm secured to the shaft to operate the finger, and aspring for retracting the finger and causing pivotal movement of thefingerend in the opposite direction to withdraw it from the recess.

(3. A station indicator or advertiser including a frame, a name-ribbonmounted movably in the frame, a motor mounted in the frame for movingthe name-ribbon, a guide-drum mounted in the frame in contact with thename-ribbon and having grooves in the end portions thereof, stopbarssecured to the name-ribbon and extending to the planes of the grooves, arock-shaft mounted in the frame, two lugs mounted on the rock-shaft andmovable thereby into or out of the grooves and to or from the path ofthe stopbars, and a casing secured to the frame and having asight-opening therein extending between the planes of the two lugs.

In testimony whereof, I atiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BURR R. SKINNER.

WVitnesses:

MARSHALL I-I. BAEDEN, K. N. OI-ILHOUSE.

Copiel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

